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Many Asian countries poorly equipped to cope with rapidly increasing incidence of breast cancer according to new EIU report​

March 16, 2016

Asia

Breast cancer now a major healthcare issue across Asia-Pacific

Rapidly changing fertility patterns key driver of rising incidence

Early diagnosis critical to survival rates, but education efforts still ineffective in many areas

Australia best equipped in Asia-Pacific to deal with breast cancer, India worst

A report released today by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) finds that breast cancer, once largely confined to Western countries and Australasia, is now a major healthcare issue across Asia-Pacific. Where data are available, increases in incidence since the 1990s, as measured by age-standardised rates (ASRs), commonly run at four to eight times that for the world as a whole. As a result, the most affected states have seen a tripling or quadrupling in their ASRs since the 1980s.

According to Breast cancer in Asia: The challenge and response, commissioned by Pfizer, breast cancer is multi-factorial, with the full range of causes still not fully known. Several leading ones, though, are relevant in explaining the growth of the disease in Asia in recent decades. Lifestyle changes that occurred with economic development —including higher calorie intake and alcohol consumption — are among the culprits most often cited. But in Asia the more visible factors are inter-related ones concerning human reproduction: a rapid drop in fertility rates since the 1960s; a markedly later age of giving birth to one’s first baby; and greatly reduced total time spent breastfeeding.

Given women diagnosed at an earlier stage have much better prognoses, the report finds that ensuring cancer is detected in its earliest stages is essential to keeping the impact of the disease in check. Improved health literacy is therefore key to better outcomes. But even among better educated populations, understanding is low and stigma remains an ongoing problem.

Unlike some diseases, success against breast cancer requires health systems to engage in a wide range of activities simultaneously. These include data gathering; awareness-raising; establishing the facilities to encourage and engage in early diagnosis; providing multi-disciplinary treatment which includes a co-ordinated range of interventions depending on individual circumstances; ensuring long-term care and support for those who have been through primary treatment; and providing palliative care for women who are dying from the disease. To get a better view of how countries in the region are addressing this disease, The EIU has produced a detailed scorecard which considers policy around all these aspects of breast cancer control, which can be viewed HERE. Of the ten countries measured, Australia obtains the highest score, while India receives the lowest.

Charles Goddard, the editor of the report, said: "The rising incidence of breast cancer in many countries in Asia requires a more coherent and robust response from governments. Yet progress against breast cancer is highly uneven across the region, and rising mortality rates in certain countries suggest they are not fully prepared for the coming burden. "

About The Economist Intelligence Unit
The Economist Intelligence Unit is the world leader in global business intelligence. It is the business-to-business arm of The Economist Group, which publishes The Economist newspaper. As the world's leading provider of country intelligence, The Economist Intelligence Unit helps executives make better business decisions by providing timely, reliable and impartial analysis on worldwide market trends and business strategies. More information about The Economist Intelligence Unit can be found at www.eiu.com or follow us on www.twitter.com/theeiu.

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